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19 quotes by Mathias Rust

Mathias Rust (born 1 June 1968) is a German aviator known for his illegal landing near Red Square in Moscow on 28 May 1987. An amateur pilot, he flew from Finland to Moscow, being tracked several times by Soviet air defence and interceptors. The Soviet fighters never received permission to shoot him down, and several times he was mistaken for a friendly aircraft. He landed on Vasilevsky Descent next to Red Square near the Kremlin in the capital...
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You have to be young to be able to do things like that. Now I'm more cautious. I'm proud that I was able to do what I did - psychologically... →

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I got my private pilot's license in autumn 1986.

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Imprisonment hit me so hard - much harder than I had thought.

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My plan was to land in Red Square, but there were too many people and I thought I'd cause casualties.

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After that I couldn't show my face outside. I lost my identity and balance. I was still living with my parents, and they were my only friends.... →

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Once this key conflict is eased, it will have a huge impact on the world. It will take time to find a solution. It's similar to the situation... →

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I had one companion. He was a teacher from the Ukraine who spoke English so we could communicate a bit. I learnt a few Russian words, but it was hard... →

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I had thought about landing in the Kremlin, but there wasn't enough space.

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I wanted to choose somewhere public, because I was scared of the KGB.

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I regret what happened. I saw no other possibility to achieve my goal. It was not hooliganism.

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I approached Red Square three times, trying to find somewhere to land, before discovering a wide bridge nearby. I landed there and taxied into Red... →

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My parents were angry, but they were relieved that I was in good condition. They had been afraid the Russians would torture me. They told me not to... →

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I don't have my pilot's licence anymore, but I'm still very political.

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